The End of the Cookie Drawer

I am retiring The Cookie Drawer. (See Long Live The Cookie Drawer.)

I know, I know it seems crazy. It seems like I am giving in. It seems like I am going establishment. But after I ate that Chalupa I had in there...

Actually, I am not retiring The Cookie Drawer because of any health concern or even a sign of maturing that leads one to stop eating things out of their desk. Instead, I got myself a splendid White Elephant Gift yesterday that's changed the cookie game.

On Saturday, I went to my youth group Christmas Party and gave away a Todd Wall Decorating Kit--a Sportsmanship plaque I won in 1984 for basketball and a nice framed picture of me. I got back a '80s workout cassette, complete with a picture of a lady in leg warmers. So, I regifted it in the company White Elephant exchange yesterday and got....a beautiful nativity cookie jar. Mary, Joseph and Jesus are cartoonish figures with big balloon heads. The top is the star raining down beams of light that looks like a circus tent. And Jesus is naked save for one strategically placed blue piece of cloth. It's really a fine piece of kitsch. And to think, I basically traded a picture of me for a cookie jar. That's more than the Sox got for Freddy Garcia.

After it was originally unwrapped, the cookie jar was stolen a few times by people who chose it over opening a new gift. When I stole the jar, someone commented that my future wife may not be so keen about having it in the house. I scoffed, "House? This is screaming to be put in my office." And so it sits here on my desk, already full of cookies. I've created a nativity scene out of it by adding a stormtrooper shepherd, a dinosaur and a monkey. Just like the first Christmas.

Anyway, with this new Cookie Jar, which will not be put away during non-Christmas months, The Cookie Drawer is no longer needed. Goodbye, Cookie Drawer. Thanks for all the cookies.

WEDDING WEDNESDAY
The newest big development is that we purchased our wedding bands on Saturday. We found a perfect band to match the engagement ring. But then we started looking at my rings. I don't wear jewelry. I don't like it. I've never really wore a ring except for a class ring for about a year. So, I was kinda uncomfortable putting a ring on and had a hard time even figgering out what I like.

Also, I think I had one of those "moments" people talk about when getting ready for a big life change. It might be like when a woman first starts showing a pregnancy. Or when someone fills out the new address form before making a cross-country move. But as I stood in that store and slipped a ring on THAT finger, I kinda blacked out for a minute. I remember just staring at the ring on my finger. It looked weird. My Intended offered some thoughts on the particular ring and on some others in the tray--but I wasn't there yet. I wasn't even comprehending the choice of styles for mine. I was still getting over the fact that I'd be wearing one for the rest of my life.

And then I realized how cool of a day that it really was: This was a day we got to chose the symbols (and that's all they realy are) of committment and love. And so I got the least blingy ring I could find and decided that I'm gonna love having that on my finger.